Oil filter/liquid indicator assembly

ABSTRACT

A bearing housing assembly featuring a bearing housing having a bearing housing wall portion with a bearing assembly chamber for receiving a bearing assembly and a shaft to be rotated, an oil sump for receiving and containing oil for lubricating the bearing assembly when the shaft is rotated, an oil path channel formed as an oil path for receiving dirty oil from the bearing assembly chamber for traveling down the oil path, and a filter assembly wall portion forming a filter assembly cavity coupled fluidically between the oil sump and the oil path channel; and a filter assembly arranged in the filter assembly cavity, to couple to the filter assembly wall portion, receive the dirty oil traveling down the oil path, filter the dirty oil and provide filtered oil to the oil sump, so the filtered oil can be recirculated to lubricate the bearing assembly when the shaft is rotated.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

This application relates to a technique for filtering oil in a bearing housing.

2. Brief Description of Related Art

In the prior art, pump assemblies are known that include a bearing housing having a bearing assembly with a shaft rotated by a motor for turning an impeller of a pump. It is known in the art that bearing housings can harbor contaminants that can cause premature bearing failure. The contaminants can be trapped in the bearing housing and circulate through the bearings. The contaminants may include dirt resulting from bearing wear over time, as well as water that may seep into the bearing the bearing housing from condensation, etc. There is no existing design to filter debris, remove moisture and indicate water contamination and/or dirty oil in the bearing housing.

In view of this, there is a need in the industry for a better way for filtering oil in a bearing housing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In summary, and in contrast to the prior art techniques set forth above, the present invention provides a new and unique filter assembly for adapting in a bearing housing for removing debris and moisture from the bearing housing, as well as indicate when moisture is present for reducing or eliminating premature bearing failure. The new filter assembly allows for planned preventative maintenance versus unforeseen downtime in pumps that are critical to their application. The filter assembly is easily installed and replaced by hand without any tools.

Moreover, oil samples may be sent for assessment of waterbeads and crystals arranged in the filter cavity. Oil permissivity through the filter assembly may also be measured.

SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

According to some embodiments, the present invention may take the form of apparatus featuring a bearing housing assembly, or a filter assembly and a bearing housing, as follows:

The Bearing Housing Assembly

By way of example, and according to some embodiments, the present invention may take the form of a bearing housing assembly featuring:

a bearing housing having

-   -   a bearing housing wall portion with a bearing assembly chamber         configured or formed therein for receiving a combination of a         bearing assembly and a shaft to be rotated,     -   an oil sump configured or formed therein for receiving and         containing oil for lubricating the bearing assembly when the         shaft is rotated,     -   an oil path channel configured or formed therein as an oil path         for receiving dirty oil from the bearing assembly chamber for         traveling down the oil path, and     -   a filter assembly wall portion configured to form a filter         assembly cavity that is coupled fluidically between the oil sump         and the oil path channel; and

a filter assembly configured to mount in the filter assembly cavity, couple to the filter assembly wall portion, receive the dirty oil traveling down the oil path, filter the dirty oil and provide filtered oil to the oil sump, so the filtered oil can be recirculated to lubricate the bearing assembly when the shaft is rotated.

The bearing housing assembly according to the present invention may also include one or more of the following features:

The filter assembly may include a plug having a filter assembly mounting portion configured to couple to the filter assembly wall portion of the bearing housing.

The filter assembly mounting portion and the filter assembly wall portion may be coupled together using a threaded coupling arrangement, including where the filter assembly mounting portion has threads that couple into corresponding threads of the filter assembly wall portion of the bearing housing.

The plug may include a plug housing configured with a plug groove/hole to receive and guide the dirty oil into the filter assembly, including where the plug groove/hole is configured to pass completely through the plug housing.

The filter assembly may include a filter cartridge coupled to a bottom end of the plug housing and configured to filter the dirty oil and provide filtered oil to the oil sump, including where the filter cartridge includes a pleated filtering material arranged in a cartridge mounting assembly.

The filter assembly may include a filter indicator stem, a filter indicator configured on the filter indicator stem, and an internal retainer ring configured to flex inwardly and outwardly for retaining the filter indicator stem and the filter indicator within the plug housing. The filter indicator combination is configured to pass the dirty oil received in the plug groove/hole and provide the dirty oil to the filter cartridge.

The plug housing may include a lower plug housing inner wall having a lower annular channel configured or formed therein. The filter indicator may include a top portion and a bottom hollow portion, the top portion including, or being formed in part by, indicator paper for indicating the quality of the oil. The filter indicator stem may include a base portion and a stem portion, the base portion being configured with holes, openings, apertures or slots formed therein to pass the dirty oil to the filter assembly. The stem portion may be configured to receive the bottom hollow portion of the filter indicator; and the internal retainer ring may be configured to flex and fit into the lower annular channel and retain the filter indicator combination in the lower plug housing inner wall.

The filter cartridge may be, or take the form of, a replaceable filter cartridge, including where the cartridge mounting assembly has threads that couple to corresponding threads of the bottom end of the plug housing.

The filter cartridge may be configured or formed with a filter cavity; and the filter cartridge may include moisture absorbing beads or crystals that reside in the filter cavity, e.g., for absorbing water and moisture in the oil being filtered.

The filter assembly may include a glass window, an O-ring and a glass retainer configured to flex inwardly and outwardly. The plug housing may include an upper plug housing inner wall having an upper annular portion configured or formed therein to receive the O-ring and the glass retainer by flexing and fitting the glass retainer into the upper annular portion. The glass window may be arranged and sealed between the O-ring, the glass retainer and the upper annular portion.

The bearing housing assembly may include a plurality of filter assemblies, where each filter assembly is configured to mount in a respective filter assembly cavity configured or formed in the bearing housing, couple to a respective filter assembly wall portion formed in the bearing housing, receive respective dirty oil traveling down respective oil path channels formed in the bearing housing, filter the respective dirty oil and provide respective filtered oil to the oil sump, so that the filtered oil can be recirculated to lubricate the bearing assembly when the shaft is rotated.

The bearing housing wall portion may include an oil ring channel or groove configured or formed therein; and the bearing housing assembly may include an oil ring arranged in the oil ring channel or groove configured to fling, provide or guide oil into the oil path channel.

The filter assembly may include an upper O-ring and a lower O-ring for providing an upper and lower seal between the filter assembly and the bearing housing wall portion.

The Filter Assembly

By way of further example, and according to some further embodiments, the present invention may take the form of a filter assembly featuring

-   -   a plug having a plug housing with a filter assembly mounting         portion configured to mount to a filter assembly wall portion of         a bearing housing for arranging the filter assembly in a filter         assembly cavity of the bearing housing, the plug housing         configured with a plug/groove formed therein for receiving and         guiding dirty oil provided from a bearing assembly chamber         having a bearing assembly and a shaft to be rotated, to an oil         path channel of the bearing housing for traveling down an oil         path;     -   a filter indicator combination arranged in the plug housing to         receive the dirty oil from in the plug groove/hole and         configured with holes formed therein to provide the dirty oil to         a bottom end of the plug housing; and a filter coupled to the         bottom end of the plug housing and configured to receive the         dirty oil from the filter indicator combination, filter the         dirty oil and provide filtered oil to an oil sump of the bearing         housing, so the filtered oil can be recirculated to lubricate         the bearing assembly when the shaft is rotated.         The filter assembly according to the present invention may also         include one or more of the features set forth herein.

The Bearing Housing

By way of still further example, and according to some still further embodiments, the present invention may take the form of a bearing housing for a bearing housing assembly, featuring

-   -   a bearing housing wall portion configured to form a bearing         assembly chamber for receiving a combination of a bearing         assembly and a shaft to be rotated;     -   an oil sump configured or formed within the bearing housing for         receiving and containing oil for lubricating the bearing         assembly when the shaft is rotated;     -   an oil path channel configured or formed within the bearing         housing as an oil path to receive dirty oil from the bearing         assembly chamber for traveling down the oil path; and     -   a filter assembly wall portion configured to form a filter         assembly cavity that is coupled fluidically between the oil sump         and the oil path channel and also configured to receive a filter         assembly for filtering the dirty oil traveling along the oil         path and providing filter oil to the oil sump, so the filtered         oil can be recirculated to lubricate the bearing assembly when         the shaft is rotated.         The bearing housing according to the present invention may also         include one or more of the features set forth herein.

The present invention provides a better way for filtering oil in a bearing housing of a.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The drawing, not necessarily drawn to scale, includes the following Figures:

FIG. 1A is an illustration of a front view in cross-section (in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis (front to back into the page)) of a shaft and bearing assembly combination) of a bearing housing assembly having one or more filter assemblies arranged in a bearing housing, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 1B is an illustration of a back perspective view in cross-section (in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis (front to back into the page)) of a shaft and bearing assembly combination) of part of a bearing housing assembly having one or more filter assemblies arranged in a bearing housing, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is an illustration of a perspective view in cross-section (in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis (top to bottom of the page)) of a filter assembly, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2B is a photograph of a filter assembly and a plug P for using when the filter assembly is not being used, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2C is an exploded view of a filter assembly, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2D is a side view of a filter assembly as assembled (in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis (top to bottom of the page)), according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2E is a cross-section view of the filter assembly in FIG. 2D along cross-section lines 2D-2D, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2F is an exploded view of part of the filter assembly in FIG. 2E labeled as 2F, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 3 includes FIGS. 3A and 3B, where FIG. 3A shows a side view of a plug that forms part of the filter assembly, and where FIG. 3B shows a cross-sectional view of the plug in FIG. 3A along cross-section lines 3B-3B, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Not every reference numeral is included in every Figure, e.g., so as to reduce clutter in the drawing as a whole.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1A and 1B show a bearing housing assembly generally indicated as 10 having a bearing housing 12 and a filter assembly 14, according to some embodiments of the present invention. In FIG. 1A, reference arrow no. 1 indicates that sump oil flows through the filter assembly 14; reference arrow no. 2 indicates the sump oil enters the filter assembly 14; and reference arrow no. 3 indicates that filtered oil enters the oil sump from the filter assembly 14.

The bearing housing 10 may include a bearing housing wall portion 10 a with a bearing assembly chamber 10 a′ configured or formed therein for receiving a combination of a bearing assembly generally indicated by BA and a shaft S to be rotated. The combination of the bearing assembly BA and shaft S is generally known in the art, e.g., and may include ball bearings, rings, inner and outer ball bearing sleeves, as one skilled in the art would appreciate. The bearing housing wall portion 10 a with the bearing assembly chamber 10 a′ may be configured or formed to receive and contain the combination of the bearing assembly BA and shaft S, e.g., consistent with that disclosed herein.

The bearing housing 10 may include an oil sump generally indicated as 10 b configured or formed therein for receiving and containing oil for lubricating the bearing assembly BA when the shaft S is rotated. By way of example, the oil sump 10 b may configured in the lower part of the bearing housing 12, as shown in FIG. 1A.

The bearing housing 10 may include an oil path channel 10 c configured or formed therein as an oil path for receiving dirty oil from the bearing assembly chamber 10 a′ for traveling down the oil path. (By way of example, the dirty oil may travel down the oil path via a gravity feed, or alternative by oil pressure caused by the combination of the bearing assembly BA and the rotating shaft S.)

The bearing housing 10 may include a filter assembly wall portion 10 d configured to form a filter assembly cavity generally indicated as 10 d′ that is coupled fluidically between the oil sump 10 b and the oil path channel 10 c.

The filter assembly 14 may be configured to mount in the filter assembly cavity 10 d′, e.g., as shown in FIG. 1A, couple to the filter assembly wall portion 10 d, receive the dirty oil traveling down the oil path, filter the dirty oil and provide filtered oil to the oil sump 10 b via an oil sump port/channel 10 b′, so the filtered oil can be recirculated to lubricate the bearing assembly BA when the shaft S is rotated. By way of example, an oil pump (not shown) may be configured to pump oil from the oil sump 10 b to the bearing assembly chamber 10 a′, e.g., via one or more oil recirculation channels, conduits or ports configured or formed in the bearing housing 12.

As shown in FIGS. 2A thru 2F, the filter assembly 14 may include a plug 14 a having a filter assembly mounting portion 14 a′ configured to couple to the filter assembly wall portion 12 a of the bearing housing 12. In particular, see FIG. 2B. By way of example, the filter assembly mounting portion 14 a′ and the filter assembly wall portion 12 a may be coupled together using a threaded coupling arrangement, including where the filter assembly mounting portion 14 a′ has threads 14 a″ that couple into corresponding threads 12 a″ (FIG. 1A) of the filter assembly wall portion 12 a of the bearing housing 12.

As shown in FIG. 2A thru 2C, the plug 14 a may include a plug housing 14 c configured with a plug groove/hole 14 d to receive and guide the dirty oil into the filter assembly 14, including where the plug groove/hole 14 d is configured to pass completely through the plug housing 14 c, as shown. See also FIG. 1A.

As shown in FIG. 2A thru 2C, the filter assembly 14 may include a filter or filter cartridge 14 e coupled to a bottom end 14 c 1 of the plug housing 14 c and configured to filter the dirty oil and provide filtered oil to the oil sump 10 b, including where the filter cartridge 14 e includes a pleated filtering material 14 e′ arranged in a cartridge mounting assembly 14 e″.

The filter assembly 14 may include a filter indicator combination having a filter indicator stem 14 f, a filter indicator 14 g configured on the filter indicator stem 14 f, and an internal retainer ring 14 h configured to flex inwardly and outwardly for retaining the filter indicator stem 14 f and the filter indicator 14 g within the plug housing 14 c, as described below. The filter indicator combination may be configured to pass the dirty oil received in the plug groove/hole 14 d and provide the dirty oil to the filter or filter cartridge 14 e.

As best shown in FIG. 2F, the plug housing 14 c may include a lower plug housing inner wall 14 c 2 having a lower annular channel 14 c 2′ configured or formed therein. The filter indicator 14 g may include a top portion 14 g′ and a bottom hollow portion 14 g″, the top portion 14 g′ including, or being formed in part by, indicator paper or indicating the quality of the oil. The filter indicator stem 14 f may include a base portion 14 f 1 and a stem portion 14 f 2, the base portion 14 f 1 may be configured with holes, openings, apertures or slots 14 f 1′ formed therein to pass the dirty oil to the filter cartridge 14 e, the stem portion 14 f 2 may be configured to receive the bottom hollow portion 14 g″ of the filter indicator 14 g. The internal retainer ring 14 h may be configured to flex and fit into the lower annular channel 14 c 2′ and retain the filter indicator combination in the lower plug housing inner wall 14 c 2.

The filter cartridge may be, or take the form of, a replaceable filter cartridge, including where the cartridge mounting assembly 14 e″ has threads that couple to corresponding threads of the bottom end 14 c 1 of the plug housing 14 c.

The filter cartridge 14 e may be configured or formed with a filter cavity 14 e′″; and the filter cartridge 14 e may include moisture absorbing beads or crystals B that reside in the filter cavity 14 e′″.

The filter assembly 14 may include a glass window 14 i, an O-ring 14 j and a glass retainer 14 k configured to flex inwardly and outwardly. The plug housing 14 c may include an upper plug housing inner wall 14 c 4 having an annular portion 14 c 4′ and ledge 14 c 4″ configured or formed therein to receive the O-ring 14 j and the glass retainer 14 k by flexing and fitting the glass retainer 14 k. The glass window 14 i may be arranged and sealed between the O-ring 14 j, the glass retainer 14 k and the upper annular portion 14 c 4′.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the bearing housing wall portion 12 a may include an oil ring channel or groove 12 a′″ configured or formed therein. The bearing housing assembly 10 may include an oil ring R arranged in the oil ring channel or groove 12 a′″ configured to fling, provide or guide oil into the oil path channel 12 c.

The filter assembly 14 may include an upper O-ring O1 and a lower O-ring O2 for providing an upper and lower seal between the filter assembly 14 and the bearing housing wall portion 10 a, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 2A thru 2E. By way of example, the lower O-ring O2 may be configured in an O-ring channel 14 c 5 formed in the plug housing 14 c, as shown in FIG. 3B.

THE SCOPE OF THE INVENTION

It should be understood that, unless stated otherwise herein, any of the features, characteristics, alternatives or modifications described regarding a particular embodiment herein may also be applied, used, or incorporated with any other embodiment described herein. Also, the drawing herein is not drawn to scale.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to exemplary embodiments thereof, the foregoing and various other additions and omissions may be made therein and thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 

1.-25. (canceled)
 26. An apparatus comprising: a housing comprising a first housing wall portion, a second housing wall portion, a third housing wall portion, and a filter assembly wall portion, wherein the first housing wall portion defines a chamber formed therein, and the chamber is configured to receive a combination of a bearing assembly and a shaft to be rotated, the filter assembly wall portion defines one or more filter cavities formed therein, and the filter assembly wall portion is distinct from the first housing wall portion such that the one or more filter cavities are distinct from the chamber, the second bearing housing wall portion defines one or more channels formed therein such that the one or more channels are fluidically coupled between the chamber and the one or more filter cavities effective to allow dirty oil to flow from the chamber to the one or more filter cavities, and the third bearing housing wall portion defines an oil sump formed therein, the third bearing housing wall portion is distinct from the filter assembly wall portion such that the oil sump is distinct from the one or more filter cavities, the oil sump is fluidically coupled to the chamber and the one or more filter cavities, and the oil sump is configured to receive and contain filtered oil from the one or more filter cavities effective to lubricate the bearing assembly when the shaft is rotated; and one or more filter assemblies configured to mount in the one or more filter cavities, receive the dirty oil from the one or more channels, filter the dirty oil, and provide the filtered oil to the oil sump, such that the filtered oil is recirculated when the shaft is rotated.
 27. The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein each of the one or more filter assemblies comprises a plug, the plug comprising: a filter assembly mounting portion configured to couple to the housing through a threaded coupling arrangement, and a plug housing configured with a plug groove/hole to receive and guide the dirty oil into a filter assembly.
 28. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein each filter assembly comprises a replaceable filter cartridge and a cartridge mounting assembly that includes threads configured to couple to corresponding threads of the plug housing.
 29. The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein each filter assembly comprises a filter cartridge configured to filter the dirty oil and provide the filtered oil to the oil sump.
 30. The apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the filter cartridge comprises moisture absorbing beads or crystals.
 31. The apparatus according to claim 26, further comprising: a fourth housing wall portion that defines an oil ring channel formed therein; and an oil ring arranged in the oil ring channel, the oil ring configured to provide the dirty oil into the one or more channels.
 32. A method to form a bearing housing, the method comprising: forming a first housing wall portion with a chamber defined therein to house a combination of a bearing assembly and a shaft; forming a second housing wall portion with a channel defined therein to receive dirty oil from the chamber; fluidically coupling the channel to the chamber; forming a third housing wall portion with a filter cavity defined therein distinct from the chamber to house a filter assembly and receive the dirty oil from the channel; fluidically coupling the filter cavity to the channel; forming a fourth housing wall portion with an oil sump defined therein distinct from the filter cavity to receive and contain filtered oil from the filter cavity effective to lubricate the bearing assembly in the chamber when the shaft is rotated; and fluidically coupling the oil sump to the chamber and the filter cavity.
 33. The method according to claim 32, further comprising: mounting the filter assembly into the filter cavity such that the filter assembly filters the dirty oil received from the channel and provides the filtered oil to the oil sump to be recirculated to the chamber.
 34. The method according to claim 33, wherein mounting the filter assembly into the filter cavity comprises mounting a filter cartridge into the filter cavity to filter the dirty oil and provide the filtered oil to the oil sump.
 35. The method according to claim 32, further comprising: forming a plug with a filter assembly mounting portion and a plug housing portion; forming a plug groove/hole in the plug housing portion to receive and guide the dirty oil into the filter assembly; and coupling the filter assembly mounting portion to the third housing wall portion through a threaded coupling arrangement.
 36. The method according to claim 35, further comprising: mounting the filter assembly into the filter cavity with a filter indicator stem and a filter indicator configured on the filter indicator stem to provide the dirty oil received in the plug to a filter cartridge.
 37. The method according to claim 35, further comprising: mounting the filter assembly into the filter cavity with a filter indicator comprising a top portion and a bottom hollow portion, the top portion including, or being formed in part by, an indicator paper to indicate a quality of the received dirty oil.
 38. The method according to claim 35, further comprising: mounting the filter assembly into the filter cavity with a replaceable filter cartridge and a cartridge mounting assembly that includes threads to couple to corresponding threads of a bottom end of the plug housing portion of the plug.
 39. The method according to claim 32, further comprising: mounting the filter assembly into the filter cavity with a filter cartridge comprising moisture absorbing beads or crystals.
 40. The method according to claim 32, further comprising: forming the third housing wall portion with a plurality of filter cavities defined therein distinct from the chamber to house a plurality of filter assemblies and receive the dirty oil from the channel; mounting the plurality of filter assemblies into the plurality of filter cavities such that the plurality of filter assemblies filter the dirty oil received from the channel and provide the filtered oil to the oil sump to be recirculated to the chamber.
 41. The method according to claim 32, further comprising: forming a fifth housing wall portion that defines an oil ring channel therein; and mounting an oil ring in the oil ring channel to provide the dirty oil into the channel.
 42. A pump assembly comprising: a housing assembly a first housing wall portion, a second housing wall portion, a third housing wall portion, and a filter assembly wall portion, wherein the first housing wall portion defines a chamber formed therein, and the chamber is configured to receive a combination of a bearing assembly and a shaft to be rotated, the filter assembly wall portion defines a filter cavity formed therein, and the filter assembly wall portion is distinct from the first housing wall portion such that the filter cavity is distinct from the chamber, the second bearing housing wall portion defines a channel formed therein such that the channel is fluidically coupled between the chamber and the filter cavity effective to allow dirty oil to flow from the chamber to the filter cavity, and the third bearing housing wall portion defines an oil sump formed therein, the third bearing housing wall portion is distinct from the filter assembly wall portion such that the oil sump is distinct from the filter cavity, the oil sump is fluidically coupled to the chamber and the filter cavity, and the oil sump is configured to receive and contain filtered oil from the filter cavity effective to lubricate the bearing assembly when the shaft is rotated; and a pump configured to pump a liquid from the housing assembly.
 43. The pump assembly according to claim 42, further comprising: the filter assembly configured to mount in the filter cavity, receive the dirty oil from the one or more channels, filter the dirty oil, and provide the filtered oil to the oil sump, wherein the filter assembly comprises a mounting portion configured to be coupled to a portion of the housing assembly through a threaded coupling arrangement.
 44. The pump assembly according to claim 43, wherein the filter assembly comprises at least one replaceable filter cartridge configured to filter the dirty oil and provide the filtered oil to the oil sump.
 45. The pump assembly according to claim 43, wherein the filter assembly further comprises one or more of a pleated filtering material arranged in a cartridge mounting assembly or moisture absorbing beads. 